AN: I've had this story running in my head for a few years now and recently began to write it out. I always wish we had gotten more pieces of Jack and Kate's relationship right after being rescued. This story is my version of what happens from the time they get back up until SNBH. However, I have taken creative liberty and changed some of the circumstances around Kate's criminal charges. I don't know much about the legal system, so it may not even be possible, but in my mind it works. I am hesitant to even put this out there. I fell in love with Jack and Kate almost immediately and I always have stories about them roaming through my head. I am not a writer and do not claim to be, this is new territory for me- so please be gentle.

Kate let the steady stream of hot water rush over her as she reflected over the past few days. They had been rescued and were now being kept at a hotel in Indonesia while Oceanic devised a plan to release the news of their rescue to the public. They had been brought into a room with Oceanic representatives and attorneys to give their account of what happened. Luckily, Jack had done most of the talking. So far, it didn't seem as they noticed anything amiss with their story. But then again, why would they? The lie they were telling was so much more believable than the truth.

Afterward, Kate had been shuffled in with a different attorney. He had a stern look about him and she felt the panic bubble up almost instantly. He explained to her that since everyone on board was declared dead, the case against her had been closed months ago. He then told her that Diane, her mother, had begged them not to reopen the case as she no longer wanted to press charges and would not take the stand against her. He explained that since she didn't want to press charges, that there was no point in going through the red tape of reopening it. Kate was dumbfounded. She swallowed hard, unable to form any words or questions. She was free. He gave her his business card and told her to contact him if she had any further questions. He advised her to keep her head down and stay out of trouble. After he left the room, she broke down in tears. Maybe now she could move on and leave her past behind once and for all.

She shut the water off and sighed thinking back. The weight of the past few days laid heavy. She kept going being elated over her freedom, then grieving those on the island that got left behind. They had lost Jin, Claire, Juliet, and…Sawyer. She had known for a while now that the physical passion she shared with Sawyer was just that. But she still cared for him, and it made her sad to think she may never see him again.

Were they all dead? Did they just disappear like the island had?

And then there was Aaron. What was she going to do with a baby? Maybe she didn't think it all the way through, but how else were they going to explain him? And she couldn't hand him over to be adopted. She felt too connected to him and Claire to do that. All the questions she had only seemed to raise more questions.

Her mind then drifted to Jack, as it often did. She knew how much pressure he was putting himself through over the 'lie' they had to tell Oceanic and make the rest of the world believe. It wasn't in his nature to be anything but forthright, so this had to be hard for him. She wondered what, if anything, would happen between them now that they were free from the clutches of the island. Was there a place for her anywhere in his life? Or would she soon just become a fixture in his memory?

Jack wandered down the corridor to Kate and Aaron's room. He was exhausted from all of the questions he had to answer to help the representatives of Oceanic formulate a publicity plan. His mind was spinning between lies and reality and all he wanted was to see her. Kate. She was the only person that could make everything clouding his mind disappear. They were going home tomorrow and things still felt so unresolved between them. He hadn't really had a chance to talk to her since that night on Penny's boat. The way she looked at him when she said "I have always been with you" had been burning over and over his mind. He heard from Hurley that she was free from any charges, but he didn't know any details. The details didn't matter to him. Her past didn't matter. The thought that he had a shot at a future with her was what mattered. Did she even want that though?

He knocked lightly on her door, not wanting to wake Aaron if he was asleep.

After a minute he was about to turn and leave, but he heard the door open. She had on a short, white terrycloth robe contrasting against her long, dark, wavy hair. He immediately felt his body temperature rise a few degrees, amazed that she always had that effect on him.

She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I was finishing drying my hair. I hope you haven't been there long."

"No, no don't worry about it." He whispered in a hushed voice as he looked past her "Is Aaron sleeping? I didn't want to wake him."

"Oh no, Aaron is with Sun. She offered to keep him for the night so I could get some rest. She said he helps keep her mind off of…"

She immediately regretted mentioning Jin after seeing the guilt enter Jack's eyes.

"Come in" she motioned to the small table in her room.

As he brushed past her, Kate couldn't help but notice his freshly shaven face and the way his clean, gray t-shirt and black sweat pants clung to him just right.

They both took a seat in one of the chairs as she looked at him expectantly. "I just wanted to come see how you were doing with everything. I haven't really gotten a chance to see you these past few days. I heard you are off the hook, so to speak." He couldn't help but grin as he said it.

"Yeah" she replied looking down, not sharing his enthusiasm. He reached for her hand across the table. "Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah. It's just, everything is happening so fast. I never actually let myself think that I may have a future, and now that I do, it kind of scares me, you know? How do you just start over? Not to mention that I now have Aaron. I don't know what I'm doing with a baby, Jack. What if I can't handle it?"

He squeezed her hand in understanding as she continued, "I used to talk to Claire a lot. She told me once that she dreamed Aaron would grow up in L.A. That's why she was going there for his adoption. In a way, I kind of feel like I owe it to her to fulfill that. I've never even been to L.A., I'm not exactly a 'city girl' you know? But, there really isn't anything for me to go home to in Iowa."

He nodded in understanding, "Kate, I know this is all happening so fast, but you know I'm going to be there for you, right? Whatever you need. LA isn't all that bad you know?" He grinned when she scrunched up her nose.

"I appreciate that, Jack. I really do. I just…you don't have to do that. I don't want you to feel obligated."

With that, he dropped her hand like it burned him. "Is that what you think, Kate?" He spat out, "That I feel obligated?" Didn't she know how he felt about her?

She winced at her own words. Why was she pushing him away? He deserved better than that. She looked back up at him, "You're right. I'm sorry. I know you're just trying to help. I just know you have a career waiting for you, friends, a life. I just don't want to get in the way, that's all."

He let out a rueful laugh, "Kate, my life before the crash wasn't all that great. All I'm saying is that you don't have to do this alone. I want to be there for you and Aaron." With that, he pushed away from the table like he was about to leave.

She didn't want to end on a bad note, so with a jolt of confidence she grabbed his forearm. "Wait."

He turned around, confused, and looked at her expectantly. She began talking fast knowing if she didn't get it out then, she never would "Jack. I don't know what will happen tomorrow or the next day. I don't know what will happen with us, with this…thing between us" she gestured between the two of them, "but I know I can't let you walk out of here without telling you something I should have weeks ago." She paused as her heart beat wildly, trying to muster up the courage to say what she wanted to say to him that day in the jungle that they were hiking to the radio tower. "I love you too, Jack."

Let me know if this is worth continuing. I already have the next few chapters laid out, but I won't keep going if it isn't worth it. It will likely change to a M rating as well.